To be clear: Barack will support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies.

Please take a moment to write to Mr. Burton that this statement was not forgotten, and let him know that you expect Senator Obama to stand by his word.

bburton *at* barackobama *dot* com

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My letter:

Mr. Burton:

In 2007, you stated –

"To be clear: Barack will support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies."

However, Barack Obama stated this week that he is supporting HR 6304. This is a grave disappointment. HR 6304 is a direct assault on the Fourth Amendment and the rule of law in this country, and serves to undermine the very foundation of what this country is built upon. I understand that a public show of support for this bill is advantageous for Senator Obama politically, but I had been led to believe that he was attempting to be a different sort of candidate – one that is not beholden to the gross political intrigues and the corruption of those that came before him. His support of this bill is not likely to garner him additional support from undecided voters, nor will it change the minds of those that have already committed to Senator McCain. However, it is tarnishing his reputation with those of us that believe that the preservation of our civil rights is paramount. Simply put: Barack Obama is going back on his word, and in an attempt to show a strong stance on national security, is supporting a bill that does nothing to protect this country and its citizens from further terrorist activity.

HR 6304 is not a compromise; it is a capitulation. It is simply the most recent in a long line of abuses that this administration has inflicted on the Constitution and on the American people, and the hypocrisy that Senator Obama is showing in his recent support of this corrupt FISA bill is disheartening.

Please encourage Senator Obama to show the leadership and strength he has promised the country, and that “Change We Can Believe In” is not simply another cheesy, hollow campaign slogan.

Thank you,

Elizabeth BarrialLos Angeles, CA

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I'm going to quote Glenn Greenwald here...

Either way, no good comes from lending uncritical support to a political leader, or cheering them on when they do bad and destructive things, or using twisted rationalizations to justify their full-scale assault on your core political values. The overriding lesson of the last seven years is that political figures, more than they need anything else, need checks and limits. That is just as important to keep in mind -- probably more so -- when you love or revere a political leader as it is when you detest one.

I agree. And the way I see it... if you disagree with Obama on his current position on the FISA bill, please show your support and respect FOR him by voicing that disagreement.